China's defense spending maintains reasonable growth

China pursues a sustainable and integrated development of both its defense capabilities and economic strengths, and determines the scale of the nation's defense expenditure in a reasonable manner, a senior military official said on Tuesday.

Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, spokesman for the delegation of the People's Liberation Army and the People's Armed Police Force to the fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress, said that in order to safeguard China's sovereignty, security and development interests and to meet the needs of military transformation with Chinese characteristics, the Chinese government has maintained reasonable and steady growth in defense expenditure, while promoting sustained and sound socioeconomic development.

"Such an approach has simultaneously enhanced both our defense capabilities and economic strengths," he noted.

The central government has proposed a defense budget of 1.91 trillion yuan ($278 billion) for the 2026 fiscal year, a year-on-year increase of 7 percent, according to a draft budget report submitted last week to the 14th NPC, China's top legislature.

Consolidating national defense and building a strong military constitute a strategic underpinning for Chinese modernization, Zhang said. The budget was made after considering multiple factors, including the need for national security and overall development, the synchronization between modernization of the military and China's overall modernization, and the on-time realization of the PLA's centenary goal, he added.

The spokesman said the increased expenditure is expected to be mainly used to promote the integrated development of the military through mechanization, informatization and the application of smart technologies.

It will also be used to upgrade the joint operational system and traditional combat forces, advance the large-scale, combat-oriented and systematic development of new-domain forces, and enhance the development of advanced combat capabilities, he said.

The increased budget will be further spent on accelerating the development of advanced weaponry, promoting innovation in defense technology, advancing the construction of modern logistics, deepening political rectification, advancing combat-oriented training, and improving personnel training, he said.

Zhang added that the military will advance the reform of military budget management, achieve a dynamic balance between the supply and demand of military funds, strengthen whole-chain control and performance evaluation in the use of military funds, and ensure that these funds are spent where they can bring the greatest benefits.